Bioe
The Bioe group addresses the combination of microbial, electrochemical and engineering tools to restore contaminated environments (soil and water) by exploring the world behind microbial electrochemical technologies:
- Physiology and biochemistry of microbial electrogenesis.
- Environmental microbial electrogenesis.
- Microbial electrogenesis and bioengineering.
What do we do?
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This Agenda has 17 Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all UN Member States, which are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere.
The research carried out by the group contributes to achieving the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Research team

Dr. Abraham Esteve Núñez
Professor at the University of Alcalá. Madrid. Spain

Dr. Juan Manuel Ortiz
Researcher

Dr. Antonio Berná Galiano
Researcher

Dr. Ana Karina Boltes Espínola
Professor at University of Alcalá. Madrid. Spain

Belén Barroeta
Science communicator

Colin Wardman
Predoctoral researcher

Mario Jiménez Conde
Predoctoral researcher METFILTER

Daniela Torruella Salas
Research assistant

Sara Mozo Pacheco
Predoctoral researcher

Ana Jesús Vega de Armas
Research Assistant

Silvia Blázquez Hernández
Research assistant
Dr. Abraham Esteve Núñez
Professor at the University of Alcalá. Madrid. Spain
Principal investigator of the Bioe Group, his scientific activity focuses on environmental biotechnology; specifically, in the use of electromicrobiology for bioremediation of water (urban and industrial) and natural environments, as well as the detection of pollutants.
- abraham.esteve@uah.es
- -

Dr. Juan Manuel Ortiz
Researcher
Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alicante (2002), and PhD (2009) (Programme "Electrochemistry, Science and Technology", Title: "Water Desalination by Electrodialysis Systems Powered directly by Photovoltaic Solar Energy: Technical Feasibility and Modeling Study ”).
- juanma.ortiz@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Dr. Antonio Berná Galiano
Researcher
Antonio Berná Galiano got a degree in Chemical Engineering (2000) and a PhD in Materials Science (2014) from the University of Alicante. His PhD thesis was focused on the characterization of the electrode/solution interphase by means of coupled electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical (SEIRAS) techniques.
- antonio.berna@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Dr. Ana Karina Boltes Espínola
Professor at University of Alcalá. Madrid. Spain
Chemical Enginnering. PhD in Chemistry by the University of Alcala in 2000. Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering Department. Her research is focused on the optimization of biological process for degradation of xenobiotics using reactors of different configurations.
- karina.boltes@uah.es
- -

Belén Barroeta
Science communicator
She holds a degree in Journalism (1993, Complutense University of Madrid) and has postgraduate training in technology of energies, and socioeconomic journalism. She began her career in the international department of the Spanish news agency Efe. For two decades, she developed her work as a journalist and editor in many media and communication agencies.
- belen.barroeta@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Colin Wardman
Predoctoral researcher
He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology from Humboldt State University in California (2003-2008). In his B.S. he researched primary production in the microbial community Boiling Springs Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park. During this research he was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellowship.
See full profile- colin.wardman@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Mario Jiménez Conde
Predoctoral researcher METFILTER
Graduated in Environmental Sciences at the University of Salamanca. In the end of grade work he developed a study for recovery of a natural wetland located in Carpio (Valladolid). In 2018 he obtained a master's degree in hydrology and water resources management, taught jointly by the University of Alcalá and the Rey Juan Carlos University.
- mario.jimenez@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Daniela Torruella Salas
Research assistant
Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University Rey Juan Carlos (2019) and master’s degree in Biotechnology from the Autonomous University of Madrid (2021).
- daniela.torruella@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Sara Mozo Pacheco
Predoctoral researcher
Graduated from the University of Alcalá obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Biology (2020) and a master’s degree in Advanced Biotechnology by the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2022).
- sara.mozo@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Ana Jesús Vega de Armas
Research Assistant
Graduated in Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Sevilla, she has worked with photosynthetic organisms in several research centers.
- anaj.vega@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Silvia Blázquez Hernández
Research assistant
Graduated in Environmental Sciences in 2021 from the University of Alcalá. His final degree project was dedicated to the study of microplastics as vectors of pollution. In June 2022, he obtained the title of Master in Hydrology and Water Resources Management
- silvia.blazquez@imdea.org
- IMDEA Water. Avenida Punto Com, 2. Parque Científico Tecnológico de la Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. 28805 MADRID

Projects
NYMPHE
2023 - 2026
New system-driven bioremediation of polluted habitats and environment
TRINEFLEX
2022 - 2026
Transformation of energy intensive process industries through integration of energy, process, and feedstock flexibility
BEER4all
2022 - 2025
Innovative Strategies based on biotechnology and electrochemistry for producing valuable products from brewery wastewater
Mobimet
2022 - 2025
New strategies for the sustainable production of reused water by means of modular electroactive wetland: METlands
photoELECTRA
2022 - 2025
Photo microbial electrochemical fluidized bioreactor: a new strategy for treating industrial wastewater and producing high-valuable products
BIOCO2MET
2022 - 2024
Sustainable CO2 bioconversion by microbial electrochemical tools using fluidised electrodes
CLEAN-CM
2021 - 2022
Control and elimination of biological and chemical risks in the water cycle
2020 - 2024
Microbial electrochemical technologies for wastewater polluted by hydrocarbons
ELECTRAMMOX
2020 - 2022
Bioelectrochemical anaerobix oxidation of ammonia for sustainable N removal from wastewater
ELECTRA
2019 - 2022
Electricity driven Low Energy and Chemical input Technology foR Accelerated bioremediation
2019 - 2022
Design, construction and validation of METlands technologies applied to nutrient removal in wastewater
MET-FLUID
2019 - 2022
Microbial electrochemical reactors based on fluid-like electrodes: a new biotech platform for performing environmental applications
PRINTBio
2019 - 2020
3D-printing electricity-producing bacteria: a new paradigm for developing graphene-based biosensors
2018 - 2021
Design and construction of electrogenic wetlands for the removal of emerging pollutants in urban wastewater
MET4HOME
2016 - 2018
Microbial electrochemical strategies oriented to a sustainable and decentralized urban wastewater reuse
iMETland
2015 - 2018
A new generation of Microbial Electrochemical Wetland for effective decentralized wastewater treatment
REMTAVARES
2014 - 2018
Madrid Network for Advanced Treatment of wastewater with non-biodegradable pollutants
EM4EM
2014 - 2016
Development of Microbial Electrogenic Technologies for the Elimination of Emerging Compounds in Wastewater
SMART WETLAND
2013 - 2015
Wastewater treatment in second generation of bioelectrogenic wetlands
ITACA
2011 - 2014
Research on Treatment, Reuse and Control Technologies for the Future Sustainability of Wastewater Treatment